Walking is a great way to exercise as it can have benefits for cardiovascular fitness, mobility, and weight management and the combined effect of released endorphins, and time to yourself, or with friends can do much for improving psychological well-being.
Walk on your own, meet friends or join a walking group, there are many ways to benefit from this exercise
CONSIDERATIONS
- It’s a good idea to start off by tracking your current activity levels using a pedometer. You can then track progress and improvements over time.
- Only increase distances and times spent walking gradually. 5-10% per week is usually a good guide.
- It is a good idea to work on the duration and step count first and once you are doing enough in an average day, then consider the intensity that you are walking at.
- Consider using intervals to vary the workload and help make positive changes to your exercise physiology. Lamppost walking is one method and involves walking at different speeds from one lamppost to the next.
- If you have a weak bladder then consider a circular route with reasonable access to required facilities rather than walking “out and back”.
- Walking with a friend or a group is a great way of sustaining a walking programme over a longer period. If you are a different fitness level than each other then go out together but take occasional diversions and short cuts so you can both work at the most appropriate intensities.
- Consider wearing comfortable shoes but don’t feel you need to spend much money on new ones.